Naval History and Heritage Command

1. The Commander, & when he is not on duty the Senior Lieut. on duty, is considered the Executive Officer of the Yard, and will be obeyed as such, accordingly, by all inferior officers & other persons employed in the Yard.

2. He will cause the General Regulations of the Navy, as established by the Secretary of the Navy, and the orders issued by the Commandant, to be strictly & duly observed, & report to the Com^dt any violation of them that may come to his knowledge.

3. All officers attached to this Yard will wear their proper uniform when on duty.

4. The officers of the Yard will give their regular attendance during the working hours of the Yard, unless specially exempted, or absent on leave. One of the Commissioned Officers will remain in the Yard at all times, & will see that no improper persons are lounging about the Yard or in the workshops or Ship Houses, tc [etc.] he will prevent conversations between the workmen & visitors.

5. There being now four Lieutenants attached to the Yard, and this having been done with a view to the greater security of the Yard & the public property, especially at night, the three Junior Lieutenants will perform duty, day & night, in succession. Each days duty will embrace the 24 hours commencing at 8 o'clock AM & ending the next day at the same hour The officer of the day is to have the Superintendence of the Watchmen & will visit their different posts frequently, he will see to all the fires, & report them out according to existing orders. His duties will correspond in every respect, with the ordinary duties of the Officer of the deck on board ship, when in Port. He will therefore acquaint himself with all the "General Orders" of the Yard. The Senior Lieutenant's duty will be that of the 1^stLieut of a Ship, on board which there is a Commander & Captain also -- The Masters will continue the same as heretofore. A room adjoining the Chapel will be set apart for the convenience & accommodation of the Officer of the Day. The Lieutenant of the day will report the arrival and departure of all vessels to the Commanding Officer and receive all reports from the Watchmen which they have heretofore, made to any other person. He will apprise the Commanding Officer when there is an alarm of fire, either in or out of the Yard, day or night & report to him every irregularity. The officer of the day will acquaint himself with the duties, posts and limits, tc, of the Watchmen, as now prescribed, & See that they are regularly relieved & vigilant at all times. The officer of the day will issue the Countersign and see it sent to the proper officers, and that the Stores, Shops, tc, are Secured at Sunset, and the Keys returned as heretafter ordered. When either of the Junior Lieutenants are is sick, or off duty, the 1^st Lieutenant will take his place for the time being. The officer of the day will give his personal attention to all work being carried on in the Yard.

6. Should fire break out in the Yard, or in its vicinity, either in the day time, or during the night, the Officer on duty, or the Sergeant or Corporal at the Gate, will cause the bell to be rung and immediate information given to the Commandant, & Executive Officer. Should the fire be so remote as to excite no apprehension for the safety of the public property, the bell is not to be rung, but the officers of the Yard are to be informed of the fact without delay. Should any other Circumstance occur requiring the attention of the officers of the Yard, or assistance of the officers of the Yard, information must be given to the Commandant & or to the Executive Officer and none of the Workmen employed in the Yard except those referred to in the next following article are to leave their work on the alarm of the fire unless the Yard bell be rung.

7. On the alarm of fire being given, those men who are members of the Navy Yard Fire Compn^y, are to be permitted to repair, immediately, to their Engine; but they are to return again to their work in the Yard without unnecessary delay, & as soon as their services can be dispensed with at the fire.-- In every case the Clerk of the Yard will report to the Commandant, the names of the men and the length of time they shall have been absent at a fire, when he will decide whether their pay shall be stopped, or continued for the time of their absence.

8. The Fire Engines of the Yard are to be kept in Serviceable order, to be examined every Saturday & Exercised occasionally by the men in Ordinary, under the Superintendence of the 1^st Lieutenant, or Officer next in rank when he is absent. [The words "Fire Engines" appears written by another hand in the left margin next to this paragraph.]

9. Officers occupying houses within the Yard will be held responsible for all accidents, arising from neglect or improper use of fires or lights in their respective quarters. All other fires in the Yard, or on board of vessels at the wharf, must be extinguished at Sunset & reported to the Executive Officer. Chimneys where fires are used must be swept monthly.

10. Smoking, either of Pipes or Cigars within the Yard, is prohibited, except in the quarters of the Commissioned Officers.

11. To guard against accidents from fire, all persons are forbidden to leave wood in any of the Shops at night -- more especially in the Smithy Shops & those other shops where there are forges-- at night all wood is to be removed also, from the vicinity of the Furnaces, Steam Engines tc., tc.-- In future, every act of neglect of this order, or any carelessness with fire, will be noticed in the most serious manner. No excuse or reasons for carelessness with fire, especially in any department of the Yard, will be noticed in the most serious manner. No excuses or reasons for Carelessness in any department of the Yard will be rec.-- The officers of the day will see that this order is strictly executed.

12. The Master Mechanics of this Yard will report to the Executive Officer at half an hour before Sundown of each day, the extinguishment of all the fires in their respective Shops, Offices & except those as necessary to be kept for mechanical purposes. They are desired to be particular & certain that every spark is put out.

13. The Mechanics and laborers Employed in the Yard, (with the exception of the Anchor Smiths & Engineers) are prohibited entering the Workshops, Ship houses, and other places where the public property, tools, etc. are deposited, during the hours allotted for meals.

14. The Mechanics & laborers are forbidden to bring their meals into the Yard, either in baskets, bags, or otherwise, and none will be permitted to eat their meals within the Yard, unless specially permitted by the Commandant. The Anchor Smithy, Foundrymen & attendants of the St. [Steam] Engines are so permitted whenever their fires are kept during meal hours.

15. The Workmen are not to engage in conversation with any person during working hours. The Master Workmen will enjoin this order upon their men, and report to the Executive Officer, all who disobey it.

16. The Mechanics & Laborers Employed in the Yard, will not be permitted to break off from work for meals, etc., until the tap of the bell. Any Mechanic or Laborer violating this order, to be checked one quarter of a day for each offense. The Master Workmen & overseers of laborers are required to give constant attendance each working day until the tap of the bell for meals, tc., and to report any & every violation of this order.

17. No Mechanic, or other person employed in the Yard, by the day, can leave his employment without permission from the head or Master Workmen under whom he may be employed, and the knowledge of the Clerk of the Yard; and if he remains absent for two days, unless he be sick (in which case, he must send word to the Clerk) or have permission from the Commandant, his name is to be struck from the Rolls. [Note in different handwriting in left margin of this paragraph reads "Absence of workmen from the Yard."]

18. In Mustering the Mechanics & others employed in this Yard, each individual is to answer his name when first called -- Anyone omitting or Neglecting so to answer, is to be checked & not permitted to go to work until the succeeding Muster.

19. In the case of those persons who are exempted from mustering, or who are necessarily absent at roll-call, the Master Workmen & overseer of laborers, as the cases may occur, will give the necessary information to the Clerk of the Yard , to enable him to keep the correct time.

20. The half-monthly Return of time, made by the Master Workmen & overseer of laborers, being intended as a check upon those made by the Clerk of the Yard, it is obviously improper that any comparison of those returns should be made with each other before being sent to the Commandants Office, where the necessary examination will be made -- any such Comparison is therefore strictly prohibited.

21. The head of each department in the Yard, will report to me, in writing, every morning by 9 A.M., what their respective Gangs are employed about, and the progress of the work in hand; and where several jobs are going on, in one department, how many hands are working at each.

22. At the end of every week the Master Mechanics will report the quantity of work done during the week, in their respective departments, & the manner in which it has been disposed of. [Note: This paragraph is crossed out in the original, with a handwritten note next to it stating that it was "found to be impractical."]

23. The privilege of recommending the mechanics to be employed in the Yard is, as a general rule granted, to the head of each department but the name & wages of the individual, are to be first submitted, in writing to the Commandant for his approval, before he is entered on the Muster Rolls. No person is to be dismissed from the Yard without the sanction of the Commandant.

24. When laborers & boys are wanted, application to take them in is to be made to the Commandant, & if sanctioned by him, the selection may be made by the Executive Officer, unless the Commd't shall name the particular person or persons to be employed. [Note in left margin next to this paragraph written in different handwriting reads " Admission of Laborers or Boys."]

25. The Master Workmen in the Yard are desired not to permit the children of the officers or of other persons my own included to go into the Shop to amuse themselves -- neither are they to be allowed to take from the Shops, or make use of any of the tools, for any purpose -- nor is any sort of plaything to be made for any of them without my leave.

26. In future, when any new work is ordered, the Master Workmen under whose direction it is to be Executed, will immediately make requisitions based upon Estimates previously submitted to the Commdt for the quantity & descriptions of materials necessary to complete the work; & no article that has been procured & is in store, for a specific purpose, is to be taken without a Special Order from the Commandant --

The Navy Store Keeper will see this order is enforced so far as relates to Stores in his charge. When furniture is taken [?] from any of the officers quarters in to the public store, a receipt will be given but furniture so returned cannot be taken from the Store without an order from the Command.

27. The Mechanics & other employed in the Yard by the day will be paid as follows, viz: On the 25th of the month 10 days pay if they have worked so much, & on the 12th day of the month the balance due of the preceding month when payday falls on Sunday, payments will be made on Monday.

28. On paydays, the different Shops & gangs will be called, and the number of men to go to the Purser's office at one time limited, agreeably to the following order, viz:

The Master Workmen & Foremen of Shops & Overseer of the Laborers are required to see that the men belonging to their departments do not quit work for the purpose of going to receive their pay, until called by the Messenger from the Purser's Office, and then not more then the number designated above, at the same time. The Lieutenant of the Day will see that this order is executed.

29. By directions of the President of the U States all public Establishments will, hereafter, be regulated, as to working hours, by the "ten hour System". The hours for labor, in this Yard, will therefore, be as follows, viz: From the 1st day of April to the 30th day of September, inclusive, from 6 o'clock A.M. to 6 o'clock P.M. -- during this period the workmen will breakfast before going to work, for which purpose the bell will be rung and the first muster held at 7 o'clock A.M.-- at 12 o'clock noon, the bell will be rung, and then home from 12 to 1 o'clock P.M. allowed for dinner-- from which hour to 6 o'clock P.M. will constitute the last half of the day. From the 1st day of October to the 31st day of March, the working hours will be, from the rising to the Setting of the Sun -- the Bell will then be rung at one hour after Sunrise-- that hour being allowed for breakfast, -- at 12 o'clock noon, the bell will again be rung, and one hour allowed for dinner, from which time, say 1 o'clock, till sundown, will constitute the last half of the day. No quarters of days will be allowed.

30. The men, belonging to the Ordinary will be mustered & inspected every Sunday at 10 o'clock A.M. and reported to the Commandant, by the Senior Lieut. on Duty.

31. One half of the Ordinary men, who are well & fit for duty, will be permitted to be absent from the Yard each Sunday night -- those whose turn it may be to remain in the Yard, are not to be permitted to leave it nor are they to be sent out for any reason except on public duty under any pretence, without permission from the Commanding Officer.

32. No person belonging to the Ordinary is to be punished without the order of the Commandant. [Note in left margin written in different handwriting states "Punishment."]

33. The Names of the Ordinary men whose night it may be to go out the Yard are to be given to the Watchmen at the flag staff by the Officer of the day at Sunset. Should any break their liberty, they are to be reported to the Commandant by the Executive Officer. The Watchmen are not to allow any man, who is drunk, to pass below the Flag staff, but must report him, if it be night to the Sergeant of the Guard, who will keep him till morning in his charge, at the gate, and report him to the Com'dt when the colors are hoisted. The Sentinel at the gate is forbidden, ever, to pass a man into the Yard who is drunk.

34. The Countersign is to be demanded, by the sentinel at the Gate, of persons passing in and out of the Yard after tattoo -- Officers Servants are to be passed in and out by the Watchman at the Flagstaff; and each Servant is to be furnished (and none passed out with out it ) with a permit by his Master, or a pass, which in going out he is to leave with the Watchmen Aforesaid, to be returned by him next morning, or by his relief to the Officer whose name is on it. -- The Servant is not to take it with him out of the yard-- neither is it to be given back to him when he returns-- it is to be kept by the Watchman. The passes to be written on a piece of paper, & that pasted to a small board, which the Watchman can hang up in his box.

[Handwritten note in left margin reads "Servants Papers"]

35. The Sergeant of the Guard immediately after taking charge of the Post, at the Gate, will report himself to the Second Officer in Command.

36. From the hours of Tattoo to Reveillee, inclusive, the Sentinel on post at the gate of this yard, will, when the bell is struck, call "All's Well" in a loud voice, to which the Watchmen will respond, and it shall be the Watchman will respond; and it shall be the duty of the Non-Commissioned Officer of the Marines, at the Gate, to report to the Executive Officer any failure to do this, on the part of the Watchman. [Illegible handwritten note in margin.]

37. The Watchmen of the Yard must not leave their posts, nor absent themselves from the Yard till regularly relieved. In case of sickness, or absence from whatever cause, a substitute must be provided for the time, to be approved of by the Executive Officer: for neglect of which that penalty will be dismissal.

38. Watchmen neglecting to relieve each other at regular hours are to be reported, through the Executive Officer, to the Commandant.

39. Horses, Horse Carriages, or other Vehicles belonging to Visitors, are not permitted to pass the Flag Staff, except those of the President of the United States, the Vice President, Members of the Cabinet, Members of the Congress, Foreign Legations, & Chiefs of Bureaus Commssioners of the Navy & such as have Ladies in them may be passed by the Commissioned Officers of the Yard.

Visitors to Officers of the Yard, whether on foot, in Carriages or on horseback, are to be permitted to enter and pass to their respective Quarters by the Guard or Watchmen at all hours, without detention or interruption by the Guard or Watchmen. If after tattoo, the Sergeant of the Guard or Watchman will pass them in & accompany them to the Officers Quarters. This order includes Colored people who may desire to visit the officer's families.

[Handwritten note in left margin reads "Visitors"]

40. Visitors must not enter into conversation with the workmen, or otherwise withdraw their attention from their labor -- Any visitor guilty of misconduct in the Yard must not be allowed to enter it again without special permission. 

Children must not be admitted, unless accompanied by persons to take care of them. 

41. Dogs belonging to Officers attached to the Yard need not be restrained, but all others must be prevented coming within the Yard. 

42. No repairs, improvements, or mechanical labor of any description whatever is hereafter to be made on, or in any the buildings in this Yard occupied by officers of any Grade but upon a written requisition, with the Approval of the Commandant, and the Executive Officer of the Yard is required to see that this order is strictly observed -- nor is any work of any kind to be done for officers, without the written Approval of the Commandant.

43. No Stores of any description will be received, into the Yard before Sunrise, nor after Sunset -- And Stores of every description coming into the Yard, must be immediately reported to the Navy Store Keeper, or to his representatives at the Store. 

44. No Article on public account is to be removed from the Yard without the previous order of the Commandant -- Nor is private property to be taken out except by an officer, without a pass. 

45. No article is to be drawn from the Store but by requisition, duly approved, nor used, except by the direction of the head of the department or Master Workman; and all work is to be returned into Store as soon as finished.

46. All articles of Stores, Provisions, tc delivered at this Yard for the public service, must be immediately examined by the head of the Department for which they are intended, or the officer in whose charge they be placed, and should there be any doubt as to their quality or fitness for the purposes for which they are intended, report in writing, must be made immediately to the Commandant.

47. The Store houses, Ship houses, timber sheds and work shops must be examined by the Officer of the day at, or immediately after Sunset, to see that the public property is secure, and report the same to the Executive Officer.

48. The Keys of the Navy Store, Laboratory, Workshops and all of the other buildings in this Yard, not occupied as quarters, must all be deposited with the Guard at the Gate, by the foreman of each Shop, after bell ring to cease work of each day, and reported to the Executive Officer. The Sergeant of the Guard will be held responsible for their safe keeping whilst in their possession, and for their prompt delivery when called for at night, but the Commanding Officer of the Yard, and he (the Serg.) will report each night, to the Second in Command of the Yard, whether or not all the keys have been placed in his possession. 

[Note in left margin written by different hand says "Return of Keys."]

49. No Private Boat will be suffered to lie at the Navy Yard Wharves without leave from the Commanding Officer.

50. No Strangers are to be allowed to visit the Yard on Sundays, unless passed in by an Officer, except the friends of the Officers residing in the Yard, or belonging to a Vessel at the Wharf neither are any of the Workmen of the Yard to be permitted to visit it on Sundays without special leave. 

51. The Purser of the Yard is not to pay off or discharge any person attached to the Ordinary without an order from the Commandant, or in case of his absence from the Station, that of the Commander.

52. Persons holding Civil Offices in the Yard are to send information to the Commanding Officer, in the event of their being so indisposed as not to be able to attend to duty, which must be communicated to the Commandant.

[Note in left margin written by different hand reads "Civil Offices of the Yard."]

53. Newspaper carriers are not to be allowed to come inside of the Yard to distribute their papers among the Workmen, except at the time of ringing the bell, at noon and at 6 o'clock p.m. 

54. Strange Negroes are not to be admitted into the Yard, unless they have business with some officer's family, or are passed in by an officer. 

55. One of the Lieutenants, or the Master, will remain in Constant attendance, during working hours, within the limits of the Work Shops & Wharves, and will visit and superintend frequently the Shops & Working Gangs, to see that the men there employed, perform faithfully their duties. All irregularities of any description that may come to his knowledge, are to be immediately reported to the Commandant. He is also to make to him in person (when he is in that part of the Yard) all reports which it has lately been the practice to send by the Watchman.

[Handwritten note in left hand margin reads "Lieutenant or Master to be in the Yard during Working hours."]

56. The Commander, Lieutenants & Master of the Yard are required to visit frequently the different Work Shops, in order to ascertain that the men are diligently and soberly at their respective duties, and should any thing the contrary of this be observed, it is to be immediately reported to the Commandant. 

57. It is Expected, that on Working days, the Executive Officer, will not leave the Yard, when the Commandant is in it, before 12 o'clock, meridian, without first informing him of wish to do so.

[Handwritten note in left margin reads "Executive Officer Leaving the Yard."]

58. It is Expected that the Naval Store Keeper or one of his Clerks, will be in constant attendance when on leave of absence in the Yard during working hours, except when on leave of absence from the Commanding Officer. 

59. The office hours of the Commandant are from nine o'clock A.M. until three half past two P.M. during which time the Clerks of the Office will not absent themselves from the Yard without his permission.

60. All books & records of a public nature connected with any offices of the Yard are to be carefully preserved in the respective offices to which they belong, and are, in no case, to be taken out of the Yard without the express permission of the Commanding Officer. 

61. The pastures in the Yard being for the benefit of all the officers attached to the Yard, may be used, indiscriminately, by all unless otherwise particularly directed by the Commandant. 

62. As it is necessary & proper that the lots of officers residing within the Yard, should be kept clean & in order, as well as all other parts of the Yard, and there being no reason why the one should not be done as well as the other at public expense, the Executive Officer is herby directed to assign one of the Ordinary men, for the purpose, to each lot; but the officers are not to consider that those men are designed for their Exclusive Service & Convenience: on the contrary, they are to be, in every respect, subject as now the order of the Executive Officer, to be employed by him at his discretion whenever the public and general duty of the Yard may require their service -- in other words, the Ordinary men afore referred to, are only to attend on the officers lots, when the duty of the Yard will justify it, and when it can be done without detriment to the public duty that may be going on -- and therefore no Officer is authorized to send or take one of the Ordinary men outside of the Yard without leave from the Executive Officer who is, by me, authorized to grant this (but for the immediate neighborhood of the Yard only) when it in his judgment, be proper, keeping the above rule in view. 

The Ordinary men are never to be used as drivers of the Private Carriages of the Officers, nor as Servants at their quarters.

[Hand written note in margin reads "Ordinary attendants."]

63. Fighting, quarreling and every kind of indecent or disorderly behavior is forbidden on penalty to offender of immediate dismissal or other punishment of [illegible].

64. No new tools are to be made for any of the departments, without a requisition for the same having been first submitted to, and approved by, the Commandant-- And no tools are to be altered or repaired except upon the Application or order of the Master Workman requiring them. Half Monthly Returns are to be made to the Commd't by the Master Workmen of the number, description & cost of all tools made in their Shops, respectively. 

65. The Master Workmen & heads of Departments in this Yard, will, hereafter before making requisitions ascertain whether the articles wanted by them are in the store, or can be made in the Yard, and if so, will state the same on the face of the requisitions. 

66. The public Library of this Yard will in future be in charge of Mr. D. M. Comb (1st Clk [Clerk] to Comdt) as Librarian. Hereafter And no books are to be taken from, or returned to the Library, except through him; nor are any to be taken outside Yard under any circumstances without permission from the Comdt. For the equal accommodation of all, it is hoped that gentleman takeing out books, will return them as soon as they are done with them -- no books can be kept out of the Library longer than four weeks.

67. No horses or carriages, except such as belong to Officers of the of the Yard or public officials connected with the Yard are allowed to be stabled or kept in the Yard. 

68.. The Master Plumber, Blacksmith and Engineer of this Yard will keep hereafter an accurate account of the coal used in their departments, and make weekly reports of the same, to this office.

69. It is enjoined upon the Executive Officer of this Yard to make known the foregoing General Orders & Regulations to all whom they concern-- to Cause a Copy of them to be placed where it may be accessible to all; and to see that they are strictly conformed to.

/s/ J. H. Aulick
Com^dt
Navy Yard Washington 29^th June 1843

Extract from Circular of the Bureau of Ordn: & Hydrogt of 6^th Sept 1845

70. "In all cases of firing salutes in the Yard under your command, you will use reduced charges of powder, in no case more then four pounds, and as much less as the nature of the guns will admit."

(Signed) W^m U. Crane

71. Agreeably to an order of the Bureau of Const., Eqpt &tc. of the 18th inst, the numbers of the different classes of Mechanics & laborers to be employed, in this Yard, on objects under the cognizance of the Bureau is hereafter, never to exceed the numbers in the amount in the annexed list, unless specially ordered to wit,

[Unnumbered Rule]

Sir:

You will cause the regulations of the Government of this Yard, adopted by my predecessors in Command to be strictly adhered to until rescinded.

72. In future when any article of ordnance is to be shipped or sent from the Yard, it is when ready to be reported to me, and in my absence to the Commanding Officer who is desired to see it properly marked and & directed; a minute of which he will make for my information.

Nov^r. 24^th 1846-

73. All orders, verbal or written, given by the Commandant to the Officers or the Master Artificers in this Yard [are] to be reported to the Commandant & Executive Officer

March 22^d, 1847

[Handwritten note in left hand margin states "All orders written or verbal to be reported to the Ex Offr"]

74. In future you will be pleased to direct that every day before bell-ring in the evening all combustible materials-- such as shavings tc are to be removed from the Several workshops in this Yard, as a precaution against fire -- You will have detailed the necessary number of laborers for the purpose.

75. No person is to be admitted into the Laboratory unless accompanied by a Commissioned Naval Officer, except a Messenger on business from the Commandant, or by order from the Comm^t.

General Order

76. When a Master Workman requires additional force of any description in his department, he is to consult with the Executive Officer, and explain such necessity; he will then make his requisition, and submit the same to the executive Officer, who will subscribe it, and hand it to the Commandant for his approval.

C.S. M'Caulley

77. Sir

Having carefully examined the status and regulations established by my predecessors for the government of this yard[,] I approve them and trust that you will see them strictly & carefully adhered to.

78. Hereafter all persons Entered for the Ordinary of this Yard, are to examined by the Surgeon, as to their physical ability, before they are Entered.

79. When the weather is wet and unfavorable for Out-door work, the laborers and Ordinary men are to be employed in picking Oakum for the Contingent uses of the Yard, and the Executive Officer will see this order enforced.

[END]